Searchlight apparatus



H. O. FLETCHER.

SEARCHLIGHT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6.1918- RENEWED OCT. 6. 1920.

Patented J an. 4, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOR.

v 'WITNESSES:

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6,1918.

RENEWED OCT. 6. I920.

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H. O. FLETCHER.

SEARCHLIGHT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6,1918- RENEWED OCT. 6, 1920.

Ijgtented Jan. 4, 1921. l 3 SHEETSSHEET 3- I we 6%0Hflfl/ 6/ WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SEARCHLIGET APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Jan. 4, 1921.

Application filed July 6, 1918, Serial No. 243,657. Renewed October 6,1920. Serial No. 415,219.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY O. FLETCHER, acitizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, inthe county ofFairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Imrovements in Searchlight Apparatus, of w ich the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to the operation of searchlights and moreparticularly to those used in connection with vehicles, such asautomobiles, but may be employed in various other ways.

The operation of searchlights on automobiles usually requires more timethan the operator can conveniently spare without neglecting his dutiesin connection with the operation of the machine and many times it isnecessary to slow down, or stop, the vehicle to use the searchlight forreading signs and other similar uses.

One object of my invention is to so simplify the operation of theSearchlight that the operator will in no way be required to neglect hisduty, or lose time and power, by slowing down or stopping the machinewhile using the light.

Another object is to save electric power and also to cause as littleannoyance to others by keeping the lamp lighted as short a time aspossible.

Another object is to provide means to li ht, and extinguish, the lampwithout any 91%0113 on the part of the operator other than that requiredto turn 'it in the direction of the object to be illuminated.

Still another object is to provide means to turn the light in anydesired direction and to light it by the operation of a single lever,

and also to extinguish the light and return it to normal positionwithout any effort on the part of the operator.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a rear elevation, showin the apparatusattached to the windshield; ig. 2 is a sectional view; Fig. 3 is a topplan view; and Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a preferred method ofelectric connections.

The bracket 1, which may be mounted in any convenient position as on awindshield, carries the bearings 2 and 3 respectively, in which ispivoted the hollow shaft 4. The lamp 5, is pivotedat 6, 6, in the fork7,

which is fast on the hollow shaft 4. The

lever or handle, 8, is fulcrumed at 9, on the arm, 10, which is alsofast on the hollow shaft 4. It is seen that the lamp is pivoted abouttwo axes normal to each other thereby allowing universal turningmovement thereof.

The collars, 11 and 12, respectively are mounted loosely on the shaft 4,and carry the pins, 13 and 14, respectively, which act to support andgive tension to the double actmg tortional spring 15. The pin 16, in thecollar 11, restsagainst the stop pin, 17, in the bearing 2, and the pin,18, in the collar 12, rests against the stop pin 19, in the bearing, 3.The collar 20, fast on the shaft 4, carries the pin 21, which bearsagainst the pin 22, in the collar 11, and also carries the pin 23, whichbears against the pin 24, in the collar 12, when the shaft 4, is in itsnormal position thus maintaining the equilibrium of the spring 15.

It will be noticed that the spring 15, tends to rotate the collar 11, ina clock-wise direction, as viewed from the top, but is prevented by thepin 21, and also that it tends to rotate the collar 12, in ananti-clock-wise direction but is prevented by the pin 23, all of whichwill be explained later. Lugs 53 and 54 are for the purpose ofcontrolling the rocking motion of the arm 10, and shaft 4,

when the lever 8, is turned to rotate the lamp 5, on its vertical axis.

Extending from the lamp 5, is the arm 25, adjustable by means of thebolt 26, and having the slot 27, in which the flattened pin 28, slides.The pin 28, is pivoted in the slide 29, which is guided by the innerwalls of the hollow shaft 4, and derives its motion from the connectingrod 30, which is pivotedto it at 31. The connecting rod 30, is alsopivoted at 32, to the lever 8.

The spring 33, rests against the collar 34, fast in the shaft 4, andacts to press the washer 35, against the stop collar 36, also fast inthe shaft 4. The spring 37 rests against the collar 38, fast in theshaft 4, and acts to press the washer 39, against the stop collar 36.The collar 40, fast on the rod 30, is of the same thickness as thecollar 36, and is therefore prevented from moving in an upward directionby the washer 35, and spring 33, and from moving in a downward directionby washer 39, and spring 37.

It will be seen that if sufiicient pressure is applied to the lever 8 inan upward direction to move it 'to position shown by 22 in the collar11.

dotted lines 8, the spring, 33, would be compressed and that rod 30,slide 29, and pin 28, would move upward; and, owing to the angularity ofthe slot 27, in the arm 25, the lamp 5, and arm 25, would be tiltedupward as shown by the dotted lines 5, 25, and when the pressure isreleased the parts immediately return to normal position due to thepressure of spring 33. The collar 20 fast on the shaft 4 carries anabutment pin 21 which bears against the abutment pin The collar 20 alsocarries an abutment pin 23 which bears against an abutment pin 24, incollar 12, when the shaft 4 is in its normal position.

If lever 8, is turned in a horizontal plane, see Fig. 3, to the positionindicated by the dotted lines 8, the lamp is turned to the positionshown by the dotted lines 5, and the pin 21, presses against pin 22,thus turning the collar 11, and contracting the spring 15. When lever 8,is released the spring 15, rotates collar 11, and pin 22, hearing on pin21, causes collar 20, and consequently shaft 4, and lamp 5, to returnuntil pin 16, has reached stop pin 1?, thus returning lamp 5, to theoriginal position.

If lever 8, is turned to a position shown by dotted lines 8 the lamp 5,is turned to position indicated by dotted lines 5 and pin 23, hearingagainst pin rotates collar 12, thus contracting spring 15, and uponreleasing lever 8, the spring 15, returns the apparatus in a similarmiinner as outlined above until pin 18, has reached stop pin 19. lt willbe seen that these stop pins 17 and 19, act to hold the lamp "fromturning on the vertical. axis in much the same manner as the stop collar36, holds it from turning on its horizontal axis.

In the arm 41, extending from bearing 3, is mounted contact ring 42,insulated by insulating bushing 43, and in electrical con tact with lamp5, through wire 44. The contact plunger 45, is adapted to slide in theinsulating bushing 43, and is normally held in contact with contact ring42, by spring 46, which is in contact with both plunger 45, and disk 47,the latter being connected to battery 48, or other electrical supply, bywire 49, the circuit being completed by wire 50, as shown in diagram,Fig. 4.

The screw 51, in arm 10, and insulated by bushing 52, is so formed atits upper end that when arm 10, rotates to normal position it raisescontact plunger 45, separating it from contact ring 42, thus breakingthe circuit and extinguishing the lamp 5. When the lever 8, andconsequently the arm 10, is rotated in either direction screw 51, assesout from under plunger 45, which immediately comes in contact with ring42, due to the spring 46, thus completing the circuit and lighting thelamp 5.

On the side of lug 54, is mounted a similar switching device as hasalready been exlained and illustrated, mounted on arm 41. ontact ring55, performing the same office as ring 42, and spring 56, disk 57,plunger 58, wires 59 and 60, answering the same pur pose as spring 46,disk 47, plun er 45, and wires 44 and 49 respectively. he extension 61,formed on lever 8, separates plunger- 58, from contact ring 55, in thesame manner as screw 51, separates plunger 45 from ring 42. When lever8, is raised or lowered plunger 58, makes connection with ring 55, dueto the action of spring 56, the circuit being completed by wires 59, 60,and 50, and battery 48. The two switches above described are seen to bein parallel in the lamp circuit so that if either be closed the lampwill be lighted.

It will thus be seen by the foregoing that when the lever 8, is turnedto the right or left or raised or lowered the lamp 5, is immediatelylighted, without any other effort on the part of the operator than tosimply operate the lever 8, to direct the rays of the lamp in anydesired direction, and when the lever 8, is released the lamp isreturned and extinguished automatically without any effort on the partof the operator.

It will be noticed that the mirror 62, may be operated in a similar wayas the lamp 5, to observe other vehicles, or objects, in differentdirections in which case the switch 63, may be turned in oil position toprevent the lamp from lighting.

1 am aware that many changes in construction, and that othercombinations or mechanisms may be resorted to without departing from thespirit and scope of my invention, and I do not wish to be confined toanv particular form of construction or arrangement of parts.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new, is set forth inthe following claims.

1. An apparatus of the class described comprising, in combination, alamp, means to support said lamp to allow of universal movement thereof,returning means tending to hold said lamp in a determined position,manual means for moving said lamp out of such position, and meanswhereby said lamp is automatically lighted when removed in any directionfrom said position.

2. In combination, a lamp, means normally holding said lamp in adefinite position, means for moving said lamp in any direction out ofsuch position, and means whereby said lamp is extinguished when in suchposition and lighted when removed in any direction from such position.

3. In combination, a lamp, means for mounting said lamp to turn about aplurality of non-parallel axes, means normally tending to hold said lampat a definite angular position about each axis, a lighting circuit forsaid lamp, and a switch for each axis, all of said switches beingarranged in parallel in said circuit, each switch being arranged to openits respective portion of said lamp circuit when said lamp is in itsnormal angular position about its respective axis and to closeitsrespective portion of the circuit when the lamp is in any otherangular position about said axis.

4. In combination, a lamp, means to support said lamp to turn about avertical and a horizontal axis, an actuating member for turning saidlamp about each of said axes, one of said members rotating about thevertical axis to swing said lamp horizontally, and the other of saidmembers moving vertically to swing said lamp about said horizontal axis,means tending to hold said first member in a definite angular position,means tending to hold said second member in a definite verticalposition, a lamp circuit, and two switches arranged in parallel in saidcircuit, one of said switches being open when said first member is insaid definite angular position and closed when said -member is out ofsuch angular position, and

the other switch being open when said sec- 0nd member is in saiddefinite vertical position and closed when said second member is out ofsaid vertical position.

5. In combination, a lamp, means to support said lamp to turn about tworelatively angularly arranged axes, a rotary member for turning saidlamp about one of said axes, a member sliding longitudinally of the axisof rotation of said rotary member for turning said lamp about the otherof said axes, and a'lever fulcrumed on said rotary member and connectedto said sliding member for actuating both of said members.

6. In combination, a lamp, means to pivotally support said lamp, areciprocatory member, connections between said member and said lampwhereby reciprocation of said member serves to rock said lamp on itspivotal support, a pair of spaced-apart opposed springs, and an abutmenton said member arranged to lie normally in the space between saidsprings and to act against the pressure of one or the other of saidsprings on reciprocation of said member in either direction whereby saidmember is resiliently urged into one position on being reciprocated ineither direction therefrom.

7. An apparatus ofthe class described comprising a rotary shaft, a lampcarried thereby, a pair of spaced bearings for supporting said shaft andhaving abutments thereon, a pair of collars loosely carried by saidshaft adjacent said bearings and having abutments for engagement withthe abutments on said bearings, a torsion spring surrounding said shaftand engaging said collars urging them to rotate in opposite directionstill the abutments on the collars contact with the abutments on theirrespectively adjacent bearings, and means on said shaft constructed andarranged to engage and turn one or the other of said collars when saidshaft is turned in a direction to separate the abutment on that collarfrom its respective bearing abutment against the force of said springwhereby said shaft is urged to a definite angular position by saidspring when rotated in either direction therefrom.

8. In combination, a lamp mounted to turn about two non-parallel axes,means to turn said lamp at will about either or both of said axes, alighting circuit for said lamp, a switch for each axis, said switchesbeing arranged in parallel in said circuit, and means controlled bytheangular position of said lamp about each axis for determining theopening and closing of its respective switch.

9. In combination, a lamp mounted to turn about two non-parallel axes,means to turn said lamp at will about either or both of said axes,returning means tending to hold said lamp in a definite position, alighting circuit for said lamp, a switch for each axis, said switchesbeing arranged in parallel in said circuit, and means controlled by theposition of said lamp about said axes for actuating saidswitches to opensaid circuit when said lamp is in said definite position and to closesaid circuit when said lamp is out of said position.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

HENRY O. FLETCHER.

Witnesses:

WALTER L. THOMAS, WILLARD C. BALDWIN.

